


Moments of Gold and Flashes of Light

by writeyourownlifestory



Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series), Karate Kid (Movies)
Genre: 80's Music, 90s fic, Alternate Universe, Amnesia, Angst, Baby Robby Keene, Bad Parenting, Bottom Daniel LaRusso, Bottom Johnny Lawrence, Emotionally Repressed, Flashbacks, Gay Bashing, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Memory Loss, Minor Violence, No Beta We Die as Men, Pregnancy, Repressed Memories, Sad Johnny Lawrence, Slow Burn, Summer Romance, Teenage Rebellion, Top Daniel LaRusso, Top Johnny Lawrence, Y2K folks, bad parent Lucille, good parent Johnny Lawrence, its 1999, long fic, super slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-15 09:33:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29806401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writeyourownlifestory/pseuds/writeyourownlifestory
Summary: It was the eyes that struck him. Big and brown. Johnny had only known blue eyes his entire life. His own, which he had gotten from his mother, and his ex's, which used to shimmer with delight whenever they’d meet in the hallway.Some people thought brown eyes were boring, but Johnny thought differently. Brown eyes were deep, sharp, and unpredictable. It was those brown eyes that brought him back to consciousness and those same brown eyes that would haunt him for years to come.//It had been ten years since he last saw those eyes. Ten years since he walked away from Daniel LaRusso and towards a life of self-destruction and debauchery that Johnny was still recovering from. He knew better than to fall off the wagon, but being so close to Daniel now, anything was possible.
Relationships: Daniel LaRusso/Johnny Lawrence
Comments: 14
Kudos: 40





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Somehow I have convinced myself this fic is my swan song. Let's see if you feel the same, shall we? 
> 
> Thank you to WingedBears for the mood board, you are truly an angel and I adore you endlessly.

Johnny was running late, but wasn’t it fashionable to do so? Wasn’t showing up to the party first incredibly lame and cliche? Of course, Johnny wasn’t going to a party, but to work, though it wasn’t even really work. He didn’t have a 9 to 5 in an office, where he sat behind a desk that was cluttered with family photos and paperwork that needed to get done. 

He had his own little workspace in the backyard of his house. It wasn’t much and he had to literally build it from the ground up, but it came with the job. Being a carpenter wasn’t exactly the most luxurious career choice and being one that specifically worked for a wedding venue was even less impressive, but it paid the bills and the job itself wasn’t exactly rocket science. 

If a bride had a specific request for her wedding, Johnny was the guy to build it. An archway for the bride and groom to enter through, faux palm trees to give it that luau theme, or even one time a carved dinosaur because the groom was an archaeologist. Johnny made it all and for a pretty penny too. 

He was good at his job, so he didn’t really care that he was running late. He’d get there eventually, coffee in hand because of no fucking way he was going to walk in there without caffeine in his system. 

He would have been on time had the radio not continued to play garbage the entire ride to the venue. He dropped the kid off at daycare like he did every morning since he got to sleep in later. They hung out for a little bit, eating breakfast and watching cartoons until it was time to go. 

He played the child-friendly CD that his mom bought the baby and had insisted on him playing because it helps stimulate brain waves or whatever. Johnny thought it was a bunch of mumbo jumbos; classic rock would make his brain work just as well, but he obliged because Johnny was a good father and a good son. 

After dropping him off, he popped the CD off and put the radio back on, fumbling with the channels for a good while until he got tired of waiting and just put one of his old cassettes in. His car wasn’t anything worth showing off, but it had a CD _and_ cassette player, unlike some of the newer make and models that only had the former. After that, he went for coffee and made his way to the venue. 

It was the beginning of the month, which meant new clients were to be taken on. New clients meant having to get to know the people and interact with them. Luckily, Johnny didn’t actually have to do that. He mostly did the background work, making sure that whatever it was he built for the happy couple didn’t crumble in the middle of the ceremony. 

It hasn’t happened yet and he’d be damned if it did.

His partner on the other hand had to do all the dirty work, but she was the actual wedding planner, so that was her problem, not Johnny’s. 

Pulling into his usual spot, Johnny parked the car, ejecting the cassette from the player and putting it back into the case. On this ride, he was listening to Metallica, the self-titled album. A lot of people think this was when the band started getting overrated, but Johnny would beg to differ. This was when the world finally saw just how badass the group really was. 

If he could find a way to get his record player in the car, he’d hook that up on the spot, but until then, he relished in his bottomless cassette collection, which he kept in alphabetical order in the corner of his bedroom. Johnny wasn’t a sloppy person, but he tended to be a bit out of order. He liked his own version of controlled chaos. His room wasn’t always neat, but he knew where shit was. 

Heading inside the building, he walked down the narrow hallway, jutting his chin out in hello to those he passed, and took the elevator up to the third floor. He hummed along to the shitty elevator music, smiling at the girls who greeted him when the doors opened. He pretended not to notice they were checking him out, silently cheering himself on for wearing his light wash Calvin Kleins today because they did make him look good, so the view from behind was extra special for the ladies before the elevator door closed on them. 

He slipped into the office, accepting the triad that was coming his way. He was used to it by this point. Seventeen minutes late wasn’t a big deal, but to his partner, it was the end of the world on account of her having to be there bright and early while he got to lounge about (if you call dropping the kid off to daycare _lounging_ ).

He waited for Shannon to get to his favorite part of her bitching (where she reminded him that there were other carpenters in town that the venue would be happy to hire -- that there were other carpenters that worked at the very that would be happy to partner with her -- if he didn’t want to follow the rules and arrive on time) and held the second cup out for her to take. 

Shannon’s coral-colored lips turned into a scowl and she rolled her eyes as she took the cup from him. “You’re still a dick,” She commented, sipping away at her iced coffee. 

Shannon liked her coffee sweet. Her order had been the same since the day they met. Fifty percent creamer, forty percent flavor shots, and ten percent actual coffee. Johnny kept it simple, getting a regular hot coffee because despite being nagged at and perceived as unprofessional, he was a big boy who drank big boy coffee. 

It wasn’t always his favorite, but eventually, you have to grow up, at least in some ways. 

Lifting his wrist, Johnny looked down at the leather wristband he wore uniformly, mockingly checking the time as he waited for Shannon to finish her long-winded bitching. 

“Are you done?” He asked, perking a blond brow at her as he took a seat across from her desk. 

They had been doing this for a while now. Nearly four years. They were good at it. Great even. Enough to get their names out there. They weren’t exactly a perfect partnership since Johnny still built things for other planners, but Shannon was his go-to when it came to getting work. They had an unmatched chemistry thanks to their history of being best friends for nearly seven years. 

They had worked every odd job together you could drink of; from bartending, to coffee shops, to bussing tables at the sports bar on Marx. They did it all while working through AA, trying to find their footing in the sober world until finally finding their niche with the venue. It wasn’t easy and they had to prove their worth at the company, but it was worth it in the end. Shannon was well known in the wedding planning business and Johnny’s handy work was unparalleled to some of the other carpenters they had. 

He chalked it up to having a good teacher, but that was his business. 

“All right, fairy Godmother. Whose dream are we making true this week?” He asked, leaning back in the guest chair, getting comfortable like he always did. 

Johnny didn’t have an office at the company, but he was fine with that. Before the kid was born, he had used the spare room in the house as his working area and now that the whole place was full of toys and diapers, he built himself an office in the shed outback. It wasn’t ideal, but it was private, much to the relief of both Shannon and himself, but Johnny had the tendency to take his work far too seriously at times and could get a bit snappy if distracted. 

“If you had arrived on time you would have been able to meet the bride-to-be. She’s sweet,” Shannon told him, going to sit down at her desk, filing through the papers she had spread out.

“ _Sweet_ ,” Johnny mimicked. “Translation: she’s hopeless and you love helping lost creatures.” 

“Meaning she’s not a bridezilla, demanding stupid shit like doves being released during their first kiss or a twelve-string band playing them off.” She corrected. 

Whether Shannon liked to admit it or not (and she did, just when they were alone when she could brag about how good she was at her job without anybody hearing), she cherished a couple that had no idea what they were doing. Sure, now and then you’d get a bride that had been planning her wedding since she was a kid and didn’t want to give those childish dreams up. Shannon did everything she could to make a couple's dream wedding come to life, but more often than not, she was faced with two people who didn’t even know where to start. 

That’s where she came in. Like Johnny himself, Shannon had been on a slippery slope of self-destruction before finding her true calling and getting her shit together. Don’t get her wrong, she can still drink anybody under the table and no matter how many pantsuits she put on, she still had a faded tattoo of a fucked up looking mermaid above her ass. The difference was, she just happened to be super good at her craft. 

“Still, she had to be asking something otherwise I wouldn't be here,” Johnny commented, sipping at his own coffee cup, waiting for Shannon to drop the ball on him. 

“My job is going to be a piece of cake compared to your own,” She mentioned, handing Johnny the write-up of what the couple wanted. 

It was easier that way. Get the big shit over with and just write whatever request they had so that Johnny could get to brainstorming. Along with the carving, he also did the painting and decorating of whatever it is the couple would request, so he had his hands full for each wedding, but Johnny also happened to be super good at his craft. 

“A piece of _wedding_ cake,” He teased, reading over the sheet carefully. He paused, his brow furrowing as he read it over again to make sure it wasn’t a type. “A _gazebo_?” 

It wasn’t the first expectational request he had been given. Usually, they tried to keep the couple from going too over the top unless they were willing to pay the big bucks for whatever it was they wanted. After all, the creation had to be moved to the venue and then the couple was free to keep it after that since they paid for it to be made in the first place. Not every couple paid to have something extreme made. One time Johnny made a balloon arch and that was the highlight of his week.

“They want to get married in it,” Shannon went on to explain. “A wedding in their backyard and then the reception will be in the venue hall. Largest one, too. Apparently, it’s going to be some shindig.” 

“Did you explain to them how much this would cost?” 

Johnny didn’t have a team. It was just himself doing his own labor, using his own tools. Sure, the company paid for all the materials, but it was still a lot of shit he had to order. Gazebos were considered an old fashion item for the venue. Something they used a lot down south, but rarely in California. Johnny got the appeal especially since his own mother had one installed on their land because she dug the aesthetic of them. Johnny never built one before but he got the basic gist of how it was supposed to go. 

Shannon took back the paper placing it down in her file, which she closed promptly. 

“Money doesn’t seem to be an issue with this couple, so as long as they’re willing to pay, we will be willing to provide.” 

It was a rehearsed speech that Shannon had adapted over time. When the venue had decided to keep a carpenter on hand, they made it very clear they wanted him to be willing to make just about anything for the happy couple so long as they were equally willing to pay whatever price they would charge. Johnny never expected to work for such a high-end company, especially with his past being out in the open, but he was good at his craft and knew he could provide what task they gave him.

“God I hate rich people,” Johnny muttered as if he hadn’t come from a wealthy family. 

Well, to an extent. 

Shannon shrugged it off. She couldn’t be bothered to question people anymore. Her first year on the job had been trying to convince brides to do the least tacky thing as possible, but she gave up along the way. It was their wedding and while the blonde never intends to walk down the aisle herself, she would be damned if she kept someone else from doing it. 

“If you could order the materials today, that would be fantastic. The wedding is three months from now.” 

“I have like six other events I have to work on,” Johnny reminded her, though Shannon just shrugged that off too, completely unapologetic about the whole thing. 

“The money is good. Besides, would you really want to deny a bride on her wedding day?” Shannon asked, using the same tone she used when she made him dress up as Santa for Robby’s first Christmas. 

Johnny rolled his eyes, unamused by her choice of words. He stood, holding his hand out for the file. If he was going to do this, he needed to know exactly what it was these people were looking for, how they wanted the thing to look when it was all said and done. 

“Are you staying in the area?” She asked, handing the manilla folder over. 

“I usually do,” He noted, already knowing what it was she was asking. “Same as always?” 

“You’re an angel in devil’s clothing, Johnny,” Shannon replied, turning her attention from him as her phone began to ring. 

Shannon answered it, sounding so unlike the valley girl he had met at the AA meeting all those years ago and instead like the working woman she strived to be. Turning to the door, Johnny began to walk out of the office, ready to call in the materials and then hang around so he could bring them both lunch like he always did. 

There was a new deli across the street and salads had become the new fad. Shannon got the same thing every other day and Johnny had gotten used to the routine of it. He’d probably pick the kid up from daycare since there wasn’t much else for him to do and they’d eat together like the oddball family they were. 

Curiously, Johnny opened the file to see the photo of the couple they’d be working with. He had an idea in his head of what a gazebo-wanting couple might look like and since Shannon liked to have official photos of her clients while working their wedding, he was curious to know if he’d guess right.

He had been wrong. Very, very wrong. 

Johnny dropped the folder along with the rest of the papers which scattered across the floor, going this way and that way while he held the professional done, JCPenney photo studio colorized picture in his hands.

At that moment, everything around Johnny was a blur, all except for those big brown eyes. 

**_//THEN//_ **

Johnny was eighteen years old, lounging away on the beach. It was the beginning of summer and while California was the go-to for most tourists, this specific beach was private, closed to everyone except the people rich enough to get through the gate. No loud families or nosy out of towners. Just a bunch of rich folk enjoying the gentle ocean breeze. 

Johnny’s mom visited the country club frequently, meaning all the perks, including this specific beach, were passed onto Johnny. He took advantage, laying back in the comfortable chair the place offered to all who wanted to sit in the sand without actually sitting _in_ the sand. He had a drink resting beside him; non-alcoholic because Johnny might not be the brightest bulb in the lamp, but he wasn’t stupid enough to be caught drinking during the daytime. He had his sunglasses on, Ray-Bans aviators that his mom bought him for Christmas. They were stylish and made him look badass, even if Bobby kept saying he looked ridiculous. 

Bobby didn’t know shit about fashion, all right? 

  
Even now, when they were sitting on the beach together, Bobby was wearing a muscle tee and cargo shorts over his swim trunks. Who the hell wears so many layers to the fucking _beach_? Yeah, he worried about the sun and shit, but that’s what sunscreen is for? Keep on lathering and you’ll be fine. Johnny was shirtless, wearing nothing but his swim shorts. They were the type that hung low enough to show off the v at the bottom of his stomach, but not ridiculous like some of the ones in the men's health magazines he had lifted from the sports store a while back. 

That was some wild shit that not even Johnny was ready to tackle just yet. 

Bobby was talking now, telling Johnny about the plans he had made for that summer. He got accepted to be some camp counselor for a place not too far off. His church privately owned it, and apparently, it was a pretty big deal for the kid who hoped to become a minister or something along those lines. 

He extended the offer to Johnny, insisting that he could probably get him a job there too, though the other blond couldn’t be bothered. 

“Do I look like a cabin leader to you?” He asked, perking a brow over his sunglasses. 

Even without looking up, Johnny knew Bobby was rolling his eyes. He did it all the time, so much so that Johnny wondered why the Christian poster child still put up with him, especially since so many others got tired of Johnny’s bullshit. 

This summer, it would be just them. Jimmy got early admission into some fancy Ivy League school so he was gone before school even ended. Tommy got an internship for some boating company in Florida. Dutch got into some trouble after the All Valley tournament in December so he was currently in juvie, and since Johnny aged out of Cobra Kai, the only remaining thing he had left was Bobby. Johnny didn’t mind so much. Bobby was his first friend out of the group, so taking California by storm was a fine idea in his book. 

Or at least that was the plan until Bobby decided to ditch him for some Jesus-Loves-All-The-Little-Children bullshit. Johnny would have been pissed had he not been such a god-fearing sonovabitch. It would only be for a few weeks, but that meant Johnny would be spending a majority of June and July without his partner in crime. 

Now Johnny was going to be on his own, without Kreese’s guidance and the stepfather breathing down his neck, repeatedly telling him to get his shit together even though he just left High school _yesterday_. 

“You can’t sit on the beach every single day, Johnny.” Bobby scoffed, looking slightly ticked with Johnny’s voice. Johnny wasn’t a slacker, you couldn’t be while training at Cobra Kai. 

You always had to be on point, be on the range. Slacking meant allowing someone to get the edge upon you and that wasn’t Johnny.

“You have to be productive. Are you even going to get a job?” Bobby continued, sitting up in his seat like they were having a real discussion and not just some back and forth while tanning. 

“Who the fuck is going to hire me when I’m leaving in three months?” Johnny countered. 

He had very little idea of what he wanted to do with his life. His grades were decent, but not good enough to get him any school that actually mattered. His ex was heading to UCLA and while Johnny was sure his stepdad could have paid some people off and pulled a few things, he didn’t want to waste another four years of his life learning shit he didn’t care about. 

Kreese had been suggesting he join the army as he did. He was the closest thing to a real father Johnny actually had, and while he didn’t shed a tear when he told Johnny that he couldn’t continue to train there, he made it clear that had he wanted to give his life to the army, he’d get him in ASAP. 

Johnny wasn’t too keen on laying his life on the line for a country that believed he was sick in the head, so that had been a hard pass. 

Johnny had thought about traveling, about taking the money that his mom had been saving up for him in that big fancy trust fund and just going to see the world. He’d only known the two sides of California, the dirty and the clean, surely there has to be more right? 

“To be completely honest, Bobby, I’m not too concerned with work. That credit card has no limit,” Johnny reminded his friend smugly, reaching out to grab his Coke bottle. He frowned at the lightness of it, realizing he had finished it off without realizing. 

“You have to do something to keep you busy.” Bobby lamented because that’s just how he was. He looked out for Johnny even without having to. “You're not somebody who can just sit still, Johnny. You’ll go crazy.” 

Johnny pushed himself out of the lounge chair and threaded through the sand to their cooler. It was Bobby’s turn to fill it, so he had the option of Coke, Hi-C, and water because Bobby truly was an advocate for staying hydrated. 

Johnny grabbed another Coke bottle, grabbing it by the neck and tossing it up, catching it swiftly. A few other beach bums were sitting not too far too, their boombox loud enough for Johnny to hear. Normally he’d complain as most country club goers play boring shit, but this time around he was gifted with the sweet sound of the Beatles, albeit one of their earlier albums. 

He would have preferred something a bit more metal or at least something that could get his blood pumping, but for some simple oceanside tunes, it would do.

“I’ve been called worse,” Johnny commented, twisting the cap off to take a sip. “I’ll survive the summer on my own, Bobby. Besides, who’s to say something good won’t come along?” 

“Knowing you, it will.” Bobby chuckled, crossing his arms as he burrowed deeper into his seat. “Johnny Lawrence, a guy who gets everything he wants.” 

Bobby’s tone isn’t exactly mean, but it isn’t full-on teasing either. He wasn’t completely wrong. Very rarely did Johnny not get what he wanted. He wanted to be the best at karate and won the title three years in a row. He wanted to date the most popular girl and had Ali on his arm up until graduation day. The breakup had been mutual. She was off to UCLA and wanted to explore everything that college offered. 

And Johnny. Well, he wanted to explore himself in ways that having a girlfriend wouldn’t help him with. They remained friends and he was sure to play nice with her come Christmas time when they no doubt would be forced back at the country club for another mind-numbing party. 

“And right now, the only thing I want is to enjoy my summer,” Johnny told his friend, turning back around to face him. He thrust his arms outside, gesturing to the space around them -- the world around them. “No distractions. No bullshit. Just sun, waves, and babes.” 

The sound of the soccer ball thumping against his face echoed deeply in Johnny’s ear canal. Johnny wouldn’t say he saw stars exactly. Little specs hung all around him and for a moment everything was as bright as the sun. His sunglasses were gone, having flown off during impact. He was laying in the sand, each tiny grain scorching his skin though that wasn’t his concern at that moment. 

There was an ache growing, starting from his nose and making its way through his eyes, head, and mouth, though Johnny wasn’t focused on that at the moment. 

Johnny blinked repeatedly, waiting for his sight to properly return. The sun was beating down, blinding him but it disappeared suddenly, being blocked out by the head of someone standing over him. 

Attached to the head was a face, a gorgeous face that was so heavenly, Johnny thought he had died and this was the angel greeting him in heaven. White teeth sat beside pouty lips on a mouth that was moving though no sound was coming out. Johnny didn’t care too much, however, and let his eyes continue their travels along the beautiful face. 

It was the eyes that struck him. Big and brown. Johnny had only known blue eyes his entire life. His own, which he had gotten from his mother, and his ex, which used to shimmer with delight whenever they’d meet in the hallway. 

Some people thought brown eyes were boring, but Johnny thought differently. Brown eyes were deep, sharp, and unpredictable. It was those brown eyes that brought him back to consciousness and those same brown eyes that would haunt him for years to come.


	2. Chapter 2

Daniel went around again. And again. And again, because he needed to make sure he picked the right place. That the ground was level and he wasn’t taking up too much space. He didn’t want it to be too close to the house, but he also didn’t want it too far away. He hoped to be able to center it slightly but knew having it smack dab right in the middle would be a bit much. He had more than enough land to work with, thankfully enough. 

The yard was big, bigger than any place he had ever lived. To be honest, Daniel was pretty sure the backyard itself was bigger than any apartment he and his mother shared after his dad had passed. 

He had always wanted to live in a house like this; it was his mission after he graduated from college. He’d get a good-paying job and buy himself a great big house, like the ones in the storybooks his dad used to read to him when he was just a little boy. 

Maybe it was childish, but he didn’t really care. He wanted a place to call his own, a place to be proud of, and who wouldn’t be proud of a place like this? 

It wasn’t the fairy tale castle he had dreamed of, but it was big enough to hold him and the family he hoped to one day have. It needed some work, but the bones were good and as hoped, the yard was big enough for him to do just about anything with. 

Amanda was hoping for a pool. Something long and deep for her to sit by on days when she wasn’t in the office. Daniel never had a pool before. Most apartment complexes in Jersey didn’t bother since the weather could be so finicky, but he could swim just fine. They were close enough to the ocean that visiting the beach could be a daily trip for them. 

Daniel had never lived near the beach before. Sure, the Jersey Shore wasn’t too far from him, but not like this, where he’d turn the corner and be right in front of the pacific ocean. It was one of the main reasons he had so easily agreed to move. Living near the beach had always been something he secretly hoped to have in his adult life, even if his mother had consistently warned him about silly things like flooding and ocean life escaping into his home. 

Amanda didn’t budge however and Daniel made a mental note to have a contractor come and look into having a pool installed, figuring it would be a nice thing to have since they wouldn’t be going on a honeymoon. Neither of them seemed to mind since they were both so focused on work. The wedding would be their own little adventure and the weekend off would be spent focusing only on each other rather than the cars they were trying to sell. 

Amanda took it upon herself to get in contact with a wedding planner since they were both too busy to do any of the dirty work themselves. Amanda was trying her best to move up in the company, wanting to prove herself to be a great new part of the marketing team while Daniel worked in his own office, crunching the numbers of all his new clients. 

He was good at his job and he was happy with the money it made him. After all, without that job, he wouldn’t have the house and without the house, he wouldn’t have his dream backyard with the things he wanted to put in it. 

Like Amanda’s pool or his gazebo. 

Amanda wasn’t exactly thrilled with the idea, getting married in their own backyard. She wasn’t a materialistic person, but every bride wants to have a wonderful wedding right? Married in a church or somewhere special and then taking the reception to a hotel or private room rented just for them? 

Amanda wasn’t planning on inviting dozens of people, but she still was hoping for something a little more cliche rather than the homestyle shindig that Daniel had been planning. 

It had been their compromise when all was said and done. Daniel was to move to California with her, leaving his comfy job and the small family he had left, and he got to have the wedding of his dreams. It seemed fair at the time, though looking back, Daniel wondered if he was taking advantage of the situation. 

After all, it took two to get married and since he had always dreamed of going to California, it was starting to seem like he was getting more out of his than Amanda was. 

Still, Amanda didn’t complain and Daniel continued to plan out where he wanted the gazebo to go, leaving markers along the grass so when the carpenter came along, they’d know exactly where to go and where to place it. 

“Is this really how you want to spend your day off?” Amanda called from the backdoor, her arms crossed as she watched him. 

He had gotten another job after they moved. It wasn’t anything fancy, but the pay was nice. The place was a little stiff and most of his associates were older gentlemen who liked having a fresh-faced youngster to boss around and do all the dirty work. Monday through Friday sitting at a desk in a tiny office wasn’t anything special, but he made the most of it. 

It was his first real day off since they had moved in and of course, he had to spend it wisely, fixing up the backyard as much as he could. Daniel knew the idea amused her. Who in their right mind would want to get married in a gazebo? It was old-fashioned, but he couldn’t help it. The idea had been on his mind since he began searching for a ring for her. 

Maybe he was just old-fashioned or maybe he just enjoyed the aesthetic? 

“I need to make sure it’s centered!”

“The people building it will take care of that, Daniel.” 

“And I’m not going to be here to talk to them, so I want to make sure it’s as leveled as possible.” He replied, making his way back to the patio door. 

“Did you finish your sketch?” She asked him, an all-knowing smirk playing out across her face. 

Daniel had stayed up half the night working on the outline. He didn’t talk about it often, but art had been his first interest growing up. He liked to draw and found he had somewhat of a talent for it, one that he never truly got to develop as he went to school for business and marketing like his mother had suggested he do. 

He sketched now and then, using it as a stress reliever when things were a little out of his control. It was his own version of therapy, just closing his eyes and drawing whatever came to mind. 

For the gazebo, he took inspiration from other designs, from movies and books, and just basic ideas that were rattling around in his head. 

He had tried to explain to Amanda how much he wanted this, about how when he was a kid he basically had nothing and the idea of having something like this in his own backyard just seemed like the epitome of wealth and personal growth. That and having a fountain garden were two things he never thought were attainable during his youth, but now that they had their own careers and he had his own money, he wanted to make that picturesque lifestyle his reality. 

Amanda, to be frank, didn’t really care about all that. The home they made together would be the place she relaxed when she was away from the office and she really didn’t care about having anything to show off. 

Amanda wasn’t a homemaker like his mother had once been before his dad died and she had to support her family. She didn’t want to have lavish parties to throw off. She wanted to be in the office, showing off her magnificent marketing mind, and Daniel adored her for that. 

She had her own ideal life in mind and it usually consisted of showing off to the men on her team and producing higher numbers than anybody else in the company. It was one of the reasons he had fallen for her. She was a strong-willed woman who knew what she wanted, unlike Daniel who was still trying to figure things out.

“It’s going to look great,” Daniel insisted, glancing over to the empty yard, picturing the gazebo sitting there already.

The entire area was a bit bare, but Daniel hoped to fill it up soon enough. There was a garden area just along with the patio and he had been looking into different greenery he could buy in the local areas. Rose bushes and little trees. 

“Oh yes. Our wedding photos will look magnificent. Like something right out of Little House On The Prairie.” 

“Call me old-fashioned, but I just happen to think they’re neat,” Daniel replied, lifting his hands in defeat. 

Amanda smiled the same way she always did when Daniel said something. It was the look of a woman who knew she could do better but knew nobody else would put in as much effort as Daniel did. Daniel knew the look all too well and had been banking on this look when he decided to propose to her. 

Daniel stepped up, placing his hand on her hip and a smile of his own on his face. “Just think about it. In just a few short months, we’ll be married.” He mentioned, hoping the idea of the event itself would make up for the fact that they would be doing it right in their own backyard. 

Daniel knew Amanda deserved the wedding of her dreams, but since her own option had been heading to Vegas (much to the horror of his mother) Daniel didn’t feel so bad taking the reins on this one. So long as she got to wear the dress of her choice, Daniel knew Amanda would be perfectly fine saying “I do” in a small, backyard ceremony. 

“Have you looked at the reports I left for you?” She asked, that knowing shimmering sparkling in her eyes. 

Daniel sighed, pulling away because no, he hadn’t. It was his day off. The day he was away from work and didn’t focus on work, unlike his wife-to-be who would live in the office if she had it her way. 

“Isn’t the point of having a day off that you don’t do any work?” He challenged, earning an eye roll from the woman. 

“If you can walk around the backyard for an hour trying to level out the grass then you can spend fifteen minutes going over the accounts that were faxed over,” Amanda told him.

“Yes dear,” He replied, turning his head back to glance once more at the empty backyard, his mind filling with possibilities of what the future will hold for it. 

The gazebo of his dreams, the pool Amanda wanted so desperately, a place for their future children to run around and play in. 

Daniel let the image slide away as Amanda pulled him back into the house, closing the patio door behind him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone for taking the chance to read this! The answer to the song playing when Daniel kicked the ball in Johnny's face was in fact "I've Just Seen A Face" by the Beatles and the title is in fact from Celine Dion's "It's All Coming Back To Me Now" which should probably foreshadow what will happen in the story. 
> 
> Feel free to comment and tell me what you think will happen next!


	3. Chapter 3

Johnny went over his options, weighing out the best way to go about this. Had this happened a few years prior, Johnny would have quit on the spot. Forget all his responsibilities, forget the promises he had made, and just cut and run, and drown his sorrows in Coors banquets until he was numb to the core.

But Johnny wasn’t that person anymore. He wasn’t the man the army left at the airport with an honorable discharge and a clap on the back to tell him he did well even though there was nothing left to him. Johnny worked so damn hard to come back from that and he refused to slip down that rabbit hole of desolation all because somebody from his past decided to make a reappearance. 

But Daniel wasn’t just somebody. For a lack of a better term, he was the reason for all of this. For Johnny’s bout of self-destruction. Of course, Johnny didn’t blame him, not really. Deep inside the heart that Johnny had to rebuild piece by piece, cutting himself up along the way, he held no ill will towards the other man. How could he after everything they had been through? 

Still, time might have carried on like it always did, but that did not mean Johnny was prepared to face him. Perhaps it was immature or ridiculous, but the very thought of coming face to face with Daniel caused his stomach to twist violently. A harrowing reminder of all he had lost just ten years ago. 

So when he decided to decline the job, he knew he had to come up with a good reason for doing so. Simply saying no wouldn’t fly for the venue. He had spent the rest of that afternoon trying to think of ways to excuse himself from the project, sitting alone in his car like the sham of a man he was. 

Eventually, it got down to the nitty-gritty of it and Johnny realized the only way he’d be able to successfully distance himself from the situation was to go to Shannon directly. It should have been easy since they lived together in a house that they had worked on together, so there was plenty of time to seek her out and talk this over. 

He decided to do it at dinner, when she was going back and forth between feeding herself and then Robby, as well as telling him about a completely different client that had contacted her because the flowers she ordered didn’t look as good as they did in the advertisement. 

“Like, you literally chose a flower that was only in season during the winter -- obviously they weren’t going to look that great in the dead of summer.” She commented, making silly faces as she offered Robby another spoonful of mashed veggies. 

He was at that age where he could have that jarred baby food that smelled like garbage as well as his bottle. He was teething as of late and was hungry all the time. He was growing fast and Johnny absolutely loved and hated it all at once. 

“I told her if she wants them to be fresh, then she had to pay for them to be shipped from Canada. God, I’m surprised she didn’t drop us right then and there.” 

“I’m not doing the LaRusso wedding.” He said aloud, upfront and simple. 

Shannon narrowed her eyes at him and Johnny could see her try to calculate what the hell had to do with the Byrns brides flower order. 

“Is this because of the gazebo?” She asked him bluntly. “Because seriously Johnny, it doesn’t exactly seem like something out of your range. I mean hello, you basically built this house from the ground up -- even if the color you chose for the walls is bland as all hell.” 

Shannon wasn’t tooting his horn by saying that. When they had decided to move in together a few years ago, they found this place dirt cheap and falling to pieces. Johnny bought all the materials himself and with some extra help from the old man, he was able to make the shack into a palace of his own. 

It wasn’t much, just it was good enough for the three of them until Shannon decided to put the money she had been saving up to good use and convince Johnny to move into somewhere better. For now, he was happy with it. His mother still lived in that big mansion that Johnny used to call home, but he didn’t care about any of that now. He didn’t have much contact with her on account of Sid cutting him out of his life after everything went to shit when he was discharged but Johnny was fine with that too. 

Shannon was still waiting for a reason, an explanation. Johnny thought about lying and saying he just had too much on his plate and that they’d had to give it to one of the other guys who worked at the venue. They wouldn’t do half as good of a job as himself, but it would free him from the burden of trying to do it. 

But he knew better than to lie to Shannon, so he figured the truth would be enough for them to take on. 

“I know the groom,” He went on to explain. 

“What, is he an old friend of yours or something?” Shannon asked, offering Robby (whose mouth had been wide open and waiting for the last minute) another spoonful. 

“Or something,” Johnny muttered and he watched as understanding glazed over her expression. 

Calling Daniel LaRusso his friend was an understatement of a lifetime. Johnny hadn’t been looking to meet new people that summer. All he wanted to do was sit around and enjoy the last bit of freedom he’d have before his mother put his ass in gear and forced him to decide on what he wanted to do with his life. 

Meeting someone on the first day of summer wasn’t his plan, especially not when they nearly knocked him out cold with a soccer ball. 

**_//THEN//_ **

Daniel was apologetic, rambling rapidly on how the ball got away from him and he wasn’t aiming to hit Johnny. It was his first day there and he had no idea how difficult it was to play soccer in the sand. He was used to mud and grass, flat ground that didn’t require him to use all his strength to pull his feet from the sinking ground. 

Johnny was half listening, his mind caught up in slowly coming back around as well as taking in the gorgeous angel that was still speaking to him. Johnny had always known that he preferred one over the other, but for the longest time, he thought he could convince himself otherwise. If he flirted with enough girls, dated enough girls, and kissed his girlfriend enough times, then he’d be able to actually believe that it was something he wanted.

Instead, he wasted so much energy playing pretend when all he wanted to do was be with someone like himself. When he was with the guys, he used to lie and say his type was similar to himself. Blond hair, blue eyes, someone pretty and understandably attractive. Nobody questioned that shit and it made for a good excuse. 

Johnny did like them pretty however and the guy in front of him was beautiful beyond comparison. Sharp jawline, smooth tanned skin, and those eyes. Johnny had never seen eyes so big. They took over nearly his entire face and yet it worked so well for him. 

Bobby seemed to catch on pretty quickly before when Johnny finally broke from whatever spell the stranger had him under, he watched as his friend flopped back into his seat, going back to the book he had been reading because he knew he had officially lost Johnny to yet another babe on the beach. 

He didn’t get to interact with the guy for long. A conversation was short-lived thanks to the dark-haired beauty being pulled away by his friend. Johnny knew the guy from school but was unsure of his name. Only when they went their separate ways and Johnny was still daydreaming about the guy who nearly broke his nose did Bobby mention that he could very well just ask Freddy about him. 

“Who?” 

“Freddy? The guy who stole your boy toy away.” He mentioned as they packed the car up. The sun was beginning to set and the temperature was slowly dropping. It was always colder down by the water, so once it got dark, it was best to head home. 

“He has a name,” Johnny stated, looking across the hood of the car, watching as Bobby smirked knowingly. “It’s Daniel.” 

That was all he got out of the guy. His name was Daniel and he was new to the area. Freddy must have snuck him into the beach because the guy sure as hell wasn’t a member of the country club. Dutch would have lost his mind over it, thinking anybody who couldn’t gain entrance was beneath them, but Johnny had more important things to worry about. 

“Then you can go to the record shop and ask Freddy all about Daniel,” Bobby mentioned as he got into the passenger seat of Johnny’s car. 

Johnny weighed this option, sliding in behind the wheel after a moment. “Why the record shop?” He asked. 

Freddy worked there as it turned out, something Johnny should have known since he visited frequently enough. He was big into music and carried his walkman with him everywhere. If there was one accessory Johnny could have on him at all times, it was his headphones that sat neatly at the back of his neck until he’d pull them over his ears. 

Johnny was big into metal music though not many people would expect him since he tended to dress like a yuppie. It came from being a rich kid whose mother usually took him shopping to all the stores that required you to use a credit card with no limit. He had the collared shirts and Calvin Klein jeans. He dressed well for his age and knew he looked good in almost everything, but he also knew he didn’t look like the type of guy who would blast Metallica or Led Zeppelin. 

It was whatever. Johnny didn’t have to explain himself especially since he wasn’t just about metal music. He liked rock and indie, and while he’d never talk about it, he was also pretty into some of the female artists that were up and coming. He wasn’t going to openly admit to listening to pop music, he could get down to Cyndi Lauper any day of the week. 

Johnny made his way into the record shop, deciding to linger around rather than go right to the register that Freddy was currently operating. He didn’t want to come off as some creep wanting to know about the new kid but he also didn’t want to make it seem like he wanted to kick Daniel’s ass since all he knew about him was that he was the one to hit him with the soccer ball. 

Having been in Cobra Kai, Johnny knew all about fighting and while he didn’t go out of his way to start fights in school, he had always been quick to finish them when one would happen. He didn’t want to cause any trouble for Daniel. He just wanted to talk to him. And look at him. Be around him. Exist in his personal space respectfully. Nothing too crazy. 

So he figured he’d check out what the record store had to offer this week, maybe even buy something, and then bring it up casually to Freddy. He rummaged the racks, seeing all the same records week after week. The store was pretty popular so whenever they’d get anything new, it was usually first come, first serve. Johnny had gotten a good chunk of his collection from this shop, while the rest had come from his mom’s own collection that she kept over the years. 

He went down the alphabet, going up and down the aisles until he got to R. He hadn’t been looking for anything specific but it never hurt to add to a specific artist. REO Speedwagon had been a group that Johnny had only recently gotten into and he had yet to actually grab an album for them. He had a couple of songs on the mixtape he had made at Tommy’s place a while back, but having an album of his own would be pretty neat. 

So when he came upon a familiar album cover, Johnny went to snag it, figuring it would be something to do that night, but instead of grabbing the plastic-covered record, he touched something gentle and warm. A hand, one that did not belong to himself. Looking across the way, he was greeted by those same big brown eyes from the beach. 

Johnny forgot how to breathe at that moment and the only thing to remind him of the basic function was watching the other boy gasp, pulling his hand back suddenly. Every alarm in Johnny’s head went off and the silent reminder that lingered over his head like the fucking sword of Damocles told him to back off and get as far as way as possible. 

_Touching boys was still bad, Johnny. Wanting to be with boys wasn’t okay. No boy was going to go against society's norms for you. Bad. Very, very bad._

All that noise was drowned out however the moment the Bambi-eyed newcomer opened his mouth. 

“I’m sorry!” The guy -- Daniel his name was Daniel -- said quickly.

Johnny shook his head, taking that step back. “It’s all good.” 

“I saw it from this end. Didn’t expect anyone to also want it,” Daniel explained and Johnny now remembered that he had an accent. It wasn’t super thick or dramatized, but it existed in some of the words he said. Johnny tried to place it -- New York maybe? 

He’s only known California his entire life, but he didn’t have that stereotypical Californian accent. He wasn’t a valley guy who surfed every weekend and spoke in a laidback lingo. He could surf and he’d probably do a lot of it this summer, but it wasn’t his everyday activity, you know? 

“It’s yours if you want it,” Johnny gestured to the album. 

“Oh no, you grabbed it first.” Daniel insisted, shaking his head. “I was just reaching from the back, you’re the one who actually wanted it.” 

Johnny moved in then, grabbing the record from the slot and pulling it out. He looked over the cover, which consisted of one of the members and then some scantily clad woman putting on lipstick. He flipped it around, holding it on the edge to offer it to Daniel. 

“It’s all right, seriously.” Daniel insisted. “I don’t even have a player. I’m just checking them out.” 

Johnny pulled the record back, bobbing his head. He wanted to mention that he did have a player, two actually. One in his living room where his mother would play her own selection and then one in his bedroom so he could listen in private. 

“You don’t remember me do you?” Daniel asked suddenly. 

His expression was adorable, honestly. He looked a little sad that Johnny didn’t seem to recognize him as the one who nearly bashed his face in. Johnny couldn’t help but smile because seriously who the fuck would want to be remembered as such. 

“You’re hard to forget,” Johnny noted, scrunching his nose in response. 

Nothing was broken on the beach, but he did spend the night having to put ice on his face because it just felt so off. He laid in his bed, his face covered by the ice pack, thinking about those eyes and how he’d take another ball to the face if he meant talking to the guy again. 

Luckily, he got the chance without having to be involved in any bodily harm. 

“Look man, I really am sorry.” Daniel began once more, sighing deeply at his words. “Who knew playing soccer in the sand could be so dangerous?” 

“I survived, so I guess you’re off the hook.” Johnny shrugged, playing it off like whatever. 

So he got kicked in the face with a soccer ball, who cared? He had taken punches to the face before, been shoved onto a mat. What difference was this, right?

“Do you go to that beach often?” Daniel decided to question, piquing Johnny’s interest. “Freddy -- the works here actually -- he brought me along. I’m new, as you could probably already tell. Just moved here. I live in Freddy’s building actually.” 

“It’s a private beach,” Johnny told him outright. “For country club members only. Freddy snuck you in. He’s been known to do that.” 

Daniel looked genuinely surprised by this and glanced over to where Freddy was leaning against the counter, reading a comic book and looking bored out of his mind. “Oh. I didn’t know. Sorry.” 

“I get why he’d do it. I mean, compared to some of the other beaches in the area -- the ones open to the public -- this one is way better.” 

“I’ve never been to the beach before,” Daniel admitted shyly, those cheeks tinting just slightly as he shifted where he stood. 

“Public beaches here suck. They’re messy and full of loud families. Covered in litter and shit.” 

It wasn’t an exact lie. They were mostly clean but they were filled with families from all over the country wanting to live their best summer life. Like the beach in Jaws, just without the actual shark part. Johnny would go to those beaches when he was a kid and his mom would bring him to the water on days when she had off or just needed a small getaway. Back when it was just the two of them. 

“To get in, you’ll have to be the guest of one of the members,” Johnny mentioned, moving around the record rack. He could have easily gone to the left and went straight to the counter, but instead, he went to the right and looped around so he could pass by Daniel, record in hand. “So if you wanna go, gimme a call.” He added as he walked by, clenching his teeth to keep himself from smiling at how smooth that was. 

He went up and paid for the record, pretending not to notice how Freddy was looking at him and then back to Daniel repeatedly like he knew something was up and was waiting for what would happen next. 

Even Johnny didn’t expect it to be that easy. He had the record in the bag, another piece to add to his collection and as he walked out the door, he heard that accented voice calling after him.

“Hey! Wait up! 

_**//NOW//** _

“Please tell me you didn’t have some drunken club hookup with my client.” Shannon requested as it had happened before. 

It would have been so easy to lie and say it was just some one-night stand that Johnny didn’t want to relieve. That he and Daniel had slept together in some unspoken amount of time and he didn’t want to get involved with that all over again. 

Johnny wasn’t some saint who was saving himself until he had been reunited with his long-lost love. Even he and Shannon had slept together but that was more for comfort and the creation of the bundle of chub that was sitting beside them at the table. Robby was watching Johnny as he licked the food off his hands like he was waiting for the answer just like his mother was. 

Regardless of how easily that lie would have been, Johnny didn’t want to lie to Shannon. Sure, he wasn’t ready to pour his heart out either, so maybe he could find a nice middle ground? 

“It wasn’t like that,” Johnny reassured, though he felt no need to rehash all those old details. 

Shannon sighed, placing the spoon down so she could pick up her own fork and eat her own dinner. “They’re paying a lot of money, Johnny.” She reminded him. 

Shannon had come a long way from the gold-digging lifestyle she had made for herself when she and Johnny first met. She had a career now and was proud of the work she did. She saved up not only for herself but for the house and Robby. They wanted to be good parents. They needed to be because they had both been failed on their own. 

When Shannon spoke of money now, it wasn’t for vanity purposes. She didn’t want to go out and buy a new Prada bag or shine up the car she was driving. They had a family they had to take care of and bills to pay. And the money Daniel and his soon-to-be wife were willing to pay for a mere gazebo was just too much to pass up. 

“What if I make it a no-contact contract?” She offered. “You do all the work, make it exactly how they want it, but if they want to speak to you, they have to go through me?” 

It wasn’t an option he had thought of before. Normally when it came to this type of job, he wanted the people to be hands-on so he knew he was doing exactly what he wanted. The design didn’t seem that too detailed so surely Johnny would be able to build it without having to get the constant yes or no from the client. 

“Just keep him away, all right?” Johnny requested, keeping his eyes on Shannon’s to show that he meant it. 

This wasn’t some awkward exchange he didn’t want to have. Johnny wasn’t sure what would happen if he had to face Daniel. If it would be like ten years ago where the butterflies were practically trying to escape his stomach or if it would be nothing more than a blank void of nothingness. 

Johnny didn’t want to take the chance. 

“Fine. Now, go clean your son so I can finally eat.” Shannon mentioned, turning her attention onto her own plate. 

Robby looked up, cooing softly as he clapped his messy hands. Shannon always let him get messy when he ate. He could touch the food and lick it off his fingers without issue, but that was since Shannon was usually the one to feed him while Johnny was the one who did the clean-up. 

Shannon didn’t want to get baby food all over her clothes and in her hair. Johnny was used to being covered in soot and grime. It was a fair trade. 

“Come on, kid.” Johnny sighed, standing to his feet. He unbuckled Robby from his high chair, lifting him out carefully. He carried him to the bathroom, ready for another nightly bath, not caring that the mushy sweet potato was getting on his Van Halen tee shirt. 

It was a part of the job after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for tuning in for this story. I do apologize for it going extra slow (on an already slow-burn of a story) but I can promise the two will interact soon and then it's smooth sailing from there. 
> 
> Until then, I hope you enjoyed seeing some good dad!Johnny cause he is here to stick around!


	4. Chapter 4

Johnny was well known about the hardware store. Whenever he’d order supplies for the venue, he’d usually try to do it in bulk to save some money, but for projects that were a little bit more hands-on, he liked seeing exactly what he would be working with. 

He already had the actual tools. The saw, the hammer, it was the little things that he needed. The nails and bolts, and all that other shit. He might even use some extra strength putty because if the thing was going to move from one location to the other they wanted to make sure it would stay intact. 

Johnny hadn’t figured out where he would be building it, mostly due to not knowing where the wedding could actually be taking place. The venue had several different locations but they also offered a package that allowed you to move all their services to a place of your choosing. Johnny didn’t look too into the file to know what exactly it was Daniel was requesting. 

All he knew was what was asked of him and when he had to have it done by.

He still had a few other projects he had to work on. One client requested a vanity specifically made for the wedding photos (dramatic, but whatever), and then another wanted a donut wall (whatever the fuck that was) and he still had like nine arches to make. Some of them were floral while others were made of plain wood that the guests would carve their names into. That one was pretty good. 

Overall, he had his hands full, but Johnny was anything if not efficient. He always made sure to get the projects done in a timely fashion so that in case there was a Bridezilla who hated what he had done there was still time to change it. 

He had picked up all the supplies, putting them on the company card like he always did. He thought about going straight home to get a headstart on one of the easier projects just to get it out of the way, but he decided to drop by Shannon’s office so he could give her the receipt and invoice. 

Never did he want the company to think he was splurging for his own supplies, which would be ridiculous since he could get half the shit he uses for his own projects for free thanks to the connections he had. Scrap metal and he went hand and hand thanks to the old man, so it was just easier to give the invoice to the venue so they knew they weren’t being cheated. 

He strutted inside without knocking because rarely did she take a meeting. Usually, she did that type of thing outside at a Starbucks or diner so she could sweet-talk to clients while also getting a meal in. Shannon had a way of presenting herself so well it was almost scary. 

Back before they had partnered up she would go to bars and convince all these guys to buy her drinks and dinner without her having to do anything in return. She was a convincing babe, that was for sure. Hell, Robby was living proof of that. 

Shannon wasn’t in her office, however. Not surprising, as she’d go out for a walk to get her own lunch or she’d hang out with some of the other people from the company. Both he and Shannon got along with their coworkers, but at the end of the day, they were pretty much each other's only friend excluding, who had stayed in Johnny’s life unlike the rest of his friends from the past. 

Johnny guessed she had in fact taken a client out and went to place the invoice on her desk, smiling at the picture she kept there. It was of herself and Robby from a day at the beach. She used to have a picture of the two of them at Robby’s christening but swapped it out because she didn’t like her desk to be too cluttered. 

Johnny didn’t feel bad about not being in the latest frame. They weren’t a couple, so it wasn’t like they needed to be presented as such. They were family, but that was for them to know, not for their clients to question. Besides, it was always fun to see a slimy groom find out she’s single and try to hit on her as one last attempt at wild fun before tying the knot. 

Shannon didn’t sleep with clients. It was unprofessional and downright disgusting. She made a mission to let each bride know if the groom made a move. Was it cruel? Perhaps but at least she’d be finding out before the actual wedding. 

Taking the shiny paperweight in the shape of a stiletto that Shannon received as a Christmas gift from one of the higher-ups, Johnny placed it down on the invoice so it wouldn’t slide away and she’d be able to see it upon returning to her desk. 

Going into his pocket, he pulled out the pocket watch the old man had given him. It was rustic by this point, the gold fading over the years, but he had taken good care of it, making sure it ran as perfectly as it had the day the old man bought it all those years ago. He checked the time, noting he still had a few hours until he could pick up Robby from daycare. 

There was a knock then and Johnny turned, expecting one of the secretaries also looking for Shannon. Johnny put on a bright smile like he always did because (not to toot his own horn) but the secretaries loved him and staying in their good graces was always a good idea. It meant free coffee and donuts on days when the secretaries wanted to splurge a bit. Sure, none of them knew of his sexuality but that was for him to know. 

It wasn’t one of the secretaries, however. 

It was someone far more familiar. 

“Oh! Hi. I’m looking for Shannon Keene.” Daniel asked, turning his head to look back at the nameplate on the door, double-checking that he had chosen the right room. “I’m Daniel LaRusso, one of her clients. Is she in today?” 

_**//THEN//** _

“I’m Daniel, by the way.” He said as he caught up with Johnny outside the record store. 

“I know. You told me on the beach.” Johnny mentioned, digging into his pocket to retrieve his keys. 

“Didn’t know if you’d catch it, you were a bit distracted with the whole soccer ball to the face,” Daniel rambled, following him to the curb. 

He drove his bike that day. It was easier to get around in and since the rest of the guys were off living their own lives, he realized he’d have to get used to riding on his own rather than in a pack. 

“Wow. Is this yours?” Daniel asked, noticing Johnny approaching the bike. 

Johnny hummed, trying to play it cool and nonchalant. He was high fiving himself in the back of his mind but otherwise, he was strapping the record to the back to make sure it didn’t go flying off when he made a quick turn. 

“I didn’t get your name, by the way.” He said. 

Johnny got onto the bike, grabbing the helmet off the back. He thought about offering a hand to shake, to be polite, but this cool guy persona was working well enough for him. 

“I’m Johnny.” He replied, kickstarting the engine for the dramatic effect. “See you later, Daniel.” 

**_//NOW//_ **

“This is Shannon’s office, right?” Daniel went on to ask, checking for a second time that he had picked the correct office. 

He wasn’t dressed in the plaid shirt and jeans that Johnny had gotten used to seeing him in, just like Johnny himself wasn’t wearing the collared shirt and Calvins. To be honest, it was almost as if they had switched. 

Daniel was in a suit, a heather grey and completely unwrinkled. Johnny was wearing plaid with the sleeves rolled up and his working boots because he planned on working at some point today, though that idea went straight out the window now. 

Johnny didn’t say a word. He just continued to stare like the madman he was, unable to pull his eyes away from Daniel’s even if he was fairly certain the silence was coming off as a bit worrisome. Seeing Daniel now, so suddenly like this, it was like a kick to the head. All of Johnny's senses became obsolete, rendering him immobile until the voice of another cut through the silence. 

“Johnny,” Shannon spoke up as she walked in, seeing the two standing together. “Is everything all right?” 

“I’m sorry. Are you Shannon?” Daniel asked, glancing between the two. 

“Yes. Oh! You’re Mr. LaRusso.” Shannon smiled brightly, stepping inside to offer her hand, which Daniel took with a relieved sigh. “I met your fiancée Amanda the other day.” 

“I’m sorry to drop in like this, but we just moved into a new place and our phone isn’t set up so calling isn’t exactly possible just yet.” 

Johnny was moving before he even realized it. The moment the two got into their conversation, Johnny saw the chance and ran with it, leaving the office without a word to either party. He continued to go, go, go, forgoing the elevator and taking the stairs because he didn’t trust his legs to stop moving until he finally made it all the way back to his car. 

He got in quickly, driving straight to the location he didn’t even realize he was going to until he pulled up the gravel driveway. Everything was a blur to him and Johnny could feel his heart in the back of his throat as he pushed out of the car and into the backyard. 

The old man was working out again. Kata, like always, because it was his go-to move. He had shown Johnny a lot of other things over time, but he liked to perfect his form despite doing the damn thing for decades. 

“Ah! Johnnysan, pleasant surprise.” He said upon noticing Johnny walk his way across the wooden path. “Little warrior not in tow? Robbysan must train early, unstoppable soon enough.” 

“Miyagi,” Johnny sighed, finally stopping his never-ending movement just a few feet from where the old man was practicing. 

Mr. Miyagi’s happy expression dropped, not to the surprise of Johnny as he always knew when the blond was being serious. He had been there for Johnny’s lowest moments and knew when something was out of Johnny’s control. 

“I saw him.” He admitted, his hands flexing as he tried to bring his emotions down, keep them leveled the way the old man taught him.

_**//THEN//** _

Johnny followed Daniel through the back of his apartment complex. It was mostly rundown, somehow still functioning. The pool wasn’t even open, though Johnny didn’t care too much since he had his own pool and it would be an excuse to have Daniel over his house. 

Daniel was rambling on like he always did. Johnny had gotten used to the never-ending chatter that came from the new kid. It was constant and very amusing at times. Johnny should have gotten annoyed with it and probably would have not been so hanging up on the guy. 

He was eager to introduce Johnny to the handyman for his apartment complex, which should have been a scary and questionable sentence, but he went along anyway because at this point Daniel could suggest Johnny drive his bike down a hill and Johnny would happily oblige. 

“Mr. Miyagi!” Daniel shouted, knocking on the door to the small shack of an office the man had. After a yell confirming they could enter, Daniel led him inside, smiling brightly as he gestured to the older man sitting at a table, working on what looked like a tiny tree. “Mr. Miyagi, hey! This is Johnny, that friend from town I told you about. The one that does karate.” 

“ _Did_ ,” Johnny corrected him. “I aged out of my dojo, but I did it long enough to memorize the moves.” 

The man turned around to face him, pulling his glasses to his nose as he gave Johnny a quick once over. “One does not age out of karate. It life-long art form.” He told Johnny, his accent thick and his words full of aged wisdom. 

“You might want to pass that onto my former sensei. He says otherwise,” Johnny admitted, glancing over to Daniel who was still smiling at the prospects of the two of them meeting. 

He hadn’t spoken to Kreese since his last day at Cobra Kai. It sucked, that much was obvious, but he didn’t push for anything else. Especially when the man was trying so hard to get Johnny to join the army as he had, something at the time, Johnny wanted nothing to do with. 

“Mr. Miyagi is a karate master,” Daniel went on to say proudly, causing the old man to laugh. 

“One is never a true master, Danielsan.” 

“You’ll have to show me your moves sometime, old man,” Johnny told him, liking the idea of having someone to spar with again, even if it was some guy three times his age. 

Mr. Miyagi smiled, looking Johnny up and down once more. “Perhaps someday.” He noted. 

**_//NOW//_ **

Mr. Miyagi’s smile fell as the realization hit him, and the old man sighed, his shoulders slumping as he turned to face Johnny fully. “So. Danielsan has returned home.” 

It had been so long since he last heard Mr. Miyagi say that name. Back when he had returned from the army and the old man picked Johnny up from where he dumped himself and helped him work his way back into society, he told Mr. Miyagi exactly what happened. 

The old man knew about the fight and the trip to the hospital that led Lucille to take her son back to New Jersey, but he had very little information on what followed and where Johnny played a part in it. Johnny poured his heart out, telling the man his sob story so he could finally allow himself to move on and forgive himself for what happened. 

Johnny never expected to see Daniel ever again so he wasn’t a natural topic for them to discuss though the old man knew Daniel almost as well as Johnny did. 

Before the old man could ask, Johnny shook his head, answering the question lingering on Mr. Miyagi’s tongue. Mr. Miyagi sighed, gesturing towards Johnny. “What shall Johnnysan do now?” 

Johnny shook his head again, swallowing hard at the question. It wasn’t something he could easily accept. Before, it had been a threat just hanging about, something that was avoidable, but now? Now that he had seen Daniel and gotten the confirmation that he already knew, whether he truly wanted to admit it or not, there was no going back.

“I don’t know.” He answered. 

He really didn’t know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And from that moment on, Johnny's life would never be the same. 
> 
> Small clarification, this fic will bounce from Johnny's perspective (3rd person) to Daniel's, however it's primarily in Johnny's. I added Daniel's chapters later on as I found the story flowed a bit easier with knowing his side of the story. 
> 
> Hopefully, you're liking this story. It's a personal favorite of mine, to be honest.


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